274 RABBITS, CATS, AND CAVIES 



knowledge to their less accomplished brethren, amongst 

 whom it frequently happens that apt pupils are found, 

 who become so proficient as to surpass their teachers 

 in the arts. 



" This, however, does not appear to be the case with the 

 kitten of the next-door neighbour of one of our corre- 

 spondents, whose educated Pete was endeavouring to 

 put it through the facings of one of his great accomplish- 

 ments, as the following will show. 



" Pete, the torn cat, was sitting at the back door, side 

 by side with the neighbour's kitten, which he has taken 

 under his protection. 



"Presently we saw him sit up on his hind quarters, an 

 accomplishment commonly called begging, which he has 

 been taught, and does to perfection. 



" He repeated this several times, all the while looking 

 at the kitten, which, in its turn, was staring at Pete with 

 all its might, until, probably frightened at such extra- 

 ordinary behaviour, it suddenly escaped over the wall of 

 the yard. 



"It is permissible to infer that Pete wanted to teach 

 the kitten his accomplishment." 



The AntmaVs Friend^ that rightly-named paper, is 

 responsible for the following on the vanity of cats : 



" We have heard the story of the mare who was being 

 ridden along Birdcage Walk and nearly threw her rider 

 by stopping to look at her reflection in a pool of 

 water. 



" The late Dr Romanes tells an interesting story of 

 cats who used to regard themselves, or their reflections, in 



